Lullaby
by starbuckfaerie21
Summary: Takes place after "Theo." The title says it all. Or at least it should.


Lullaby

 **Disclaimer:** Sadly I own neither _Saving Hope_ nor Daniel Gillies.

 **Pairing: Joel & Alex **(or if you prefer Alex & Joel)

 **Rating: T**

 **Summary:** Takes place after "Theo." The title says it all. Or at least it should.

It was nearly three a.m. when Joel Goran awoke to silence. Between the kids and two constantly ringing cell phones, the house was _never_ silent. He reached over to Alex's side of the bed, only to find it empty. The light wasn't on in the bathroom and he knew she wasn't at the hospital since she was still on maternity leave.

She'd given birth to their youngest son Theo just a few weeks before.

"Alex?" He whispered her name in the darkness before getting out of bed and walking drowsily through the upper floor of the house.

He checked in on Luke and Charlotte who were both asleep. He checked the bathroom once more but it was empty.

 _There was only one other place she could possibly be._

He peeked into the nursery with the pale blue walls decorated with spaceships and stars that Alex herself had stenciled on by hand; and he smiled at the sight of his wife asleep in the rocking chair in the corner, still holding their sleeping newborn son to her breast.

With each child this room had been different.

With Luke it had been painted pale yellow with zoo animal wallpaper.

With Charlotte it had been painted pink.

She was wearing her brother Luke's old hockey jersey. It was the only thing she felt comfortable in because her breasts were still swollen with milk for the baby, and wearing anything too tight caused her pain.

 _God, she's beautiful._

Joel thought as he stared at his sleeping wife and infant son.

Alex had taken one arm out of the sleeve of the oversized jersey so she could feed the baby, and the moonlight reflected against her skin.

Her hair fell nearly past her shoulders in a dark effortless wave.

He stepped softly so he wouldn't disturb either Alex or the baby.

He glanced at the baby monitor and noticed that it was switched off.

 _She must've turned it off so it wouldn't wake me._

Joel thought, wondering just how long his wife had been in here before she'd fallen asleep.

"Have you had your fill, mate?" He whispered, carefully taking the baby out of Alex's arms and taking him into his own.

As he took the baby, he checked his diaper and found it clean and dry. Theo didn't make a sound as Joel settled him into the crib and kissed his son's forehead.

"Goodnight, little man. Daddy loves you." Joel whispered, before turning his attention to Alex.

"Alex," He called out her name as he gently shook her bare shoulder, "Alex…"

It only took a moment before she stirred, "Joel…" She replied, drowsily, her voice drifting off with the sheer force of her exhaustion.

It took less than five seconds for Alex to realize that her son was no longer in her arms.

Suddenly she was completely coherent her blue eyes dancing back and forth in panic.

"Joel, where's Theo?" She whispered, urgently.

Her husband laid a hand on her arm, "He's fine. I just put him down."

Alex leaned back in the rocker and let out a breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"What time is it?" She whispered into the darkness, relishing in the comfort of Joel's touch on her skin as his fingers traveled up her arm to her shoulder and finally came to rest on her collarbone.

"A little after three. How long have you been in here?"

She shook her head, and tried to suppress a yawn, "I'm not sure. I heard him crying. I turned the baby monitor off so it wouldn't wake you. I came in here to feed him. I must have fallen asleep…"

Her voice trailed off as her head brushed the back of the rocking chair.

"You must have." He agreed, "Come to bed, Reid. You're exhausted." He whispered, pulling her gently to her feet, letting her lean heavily against him as they slowly walked across the hall to their bedroom.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," She mumbled, sleepily, practically falling into the bed.

Joel got into bed next to her and moved so close that it was hard to tell where he ended and she began.

"Don't worry about it," He replied, pressing his lips against the flesh between her neck and her shoulder. "Just as long as you're all right."

He remembered all those years of one night stands before during and after his relationship with Alex, when waking up next to another person made him want to run in the opposite direction.

 _Now the opposite was true._

Now after four years of marriage and three children, it was the thought of waking up alone that terrified him.

 _Or more accurately it was the thought of waking up without Alex that terrified him._

"I love you, Dr. Goran." Alex whispered, her words running together as she pillowed her head on Joel's bare chest, and started to drift off to sleep.

"And, I love you. Do you hear me, Alex Reid?"

"Mmmmmhmmmm…." She mumbled as he pressed his lips against her forehead.

Joel reached over to the nightstand with his free hand and switched the baby monitor back on.

"Wake me if he wakes up." Alex whispered, the words were barely audible but the vibration of the syllables against his skin made his body sing with desire.

"Alex, go to sleep. If he wakes up, I'll get him." Joel answered, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"But if he's hungry…." Joel stopped the flow of her exhausted words with a kiss.

"Alex Reid, wife of mine, love of my life. I _have_ done this before. If he's hungry, I'll feed him. There are bottles in the fridge. Now, are you going to go to sleep or do I have to sing you a lullaby?"

At this Alex laughed out loud and pressed a kiss against the mole behind his ear. "You just did." She replied, just before her breathing evened out and she finally slept.


End file.
